Any interesting ideas out there for food to share at pot luck dinners ? Often do casseroles or crumble-type puds and always go down well but just feel like doing something more exotic, not too time consuming and reasonably economic... . don't want much eh !
cookessentials,
Feb 26, 10:21pm
Well, a large lasagne or cottage pie is always a great idea, you could do a chicken or vegetarian lasagne as a different option. Desserts could be trifle, chocolate mousse, cheesecake or something like that. A lamb curry is also another great idea.
holz22,
Feb 27, 2:41am
I took jelly crystal meringues (with cream and berries) to a potluck last week. Went down a treat :) Economical too
bouff2,
Feb 27, 2:51am
They sound good... . jelly crystal meringues. that definitely provokes a request for the recipe please holz22
topherino,
Feb 27, 2:52am
I like to take something different. My specialty is Lemon chicken or Orange Fish.
barloo,
Feb 27, 2:53am
fruit platter. What ever fresh fruit you like with choco fish and big marshmallows! Looks great on a big platter:) Then you can add nuts and dried fruits if you wish.
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:14am
Barbeque Glaze Meatloaf
500g bacon slices trimmed, 1 onion chopped, 750g beef mince, 250g sausage meat, 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons rosemary leaves, 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, sea salt and cracked pepper ***BARBEQUE GLAZE*** 1/3 cup tomato sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar... Preheat oven to 180c. To make the barbeque glaze, place the sauce, sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until sugar dissolved. Brush the glaze over both sides of bacon, reserving any glaze. Line a 20x10x7cm greased loaf tin with the bacon slices. Place the onion, garlic, beef mince, sausage meat, breadcrumbs, parsley, rosemary, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well to combine. Press the mince mixture into the loaf tin, fold over the bacon to enclose the filling and cook for 35 mins or until cooked through. Carefully drain any excess liquid from the tin and turn the meatloaf out on to a baking tray. Brush the loaf with the remaining glaze and cook for a further 8-10mins or until the top is golden. Slice to serve. serves 8.
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:14am
Brazilian Banana Cream Cake
A no cook cake! Perfect for dessert after a BBQ on a hot summer’s night. Just make sure you leave an hour aside for it to chill this cake in the fridge before serving.
Ingredients:
1 Packet Griffin's Gingernuts (crushed) 4 Bananas 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice 70g Butter ½ Cup Brown Sugar 1 Tbsp Strong Black Coffee 300ml Cream, whipped 1 Banana, sliced 2 tsp Lemon Juice
Instructions:
1. Spread half the biscuit crumbs into a greased 20cm shallow loose-bottomed cake tin.
2. Lightly mash the bananas with the lemon juice.
3. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
4. Beat in the coffee and bananas and spread lightly and evenly over the biscuits in the tin.
5. Cover with the cream and the remaining biscuit crumbs.
6. Chill for at least 1 hour. Toss the banana slices in the lemon juice and use to decorate.
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:15am
CHEESE AND BACON FLAN
1 Cup Flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 50g Butter 3 tbsp water
1. Put flour into medium bowl. Add salt. Rub in butter. Add water to make a stiff dough. Line a greased flan tin.
FILLING
1x bacon 1/2 Cup Cheese 2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon Milk 1/4 teaspoon Salt
1. Cut up bacon, put on pastry. 2. Add grated cheese. 3. Beat eggs, salt & milk. Pour over bacon and cheese. 4. Bake until set.
can also add semi cooked broccoli, courgettes, and grated carrot.
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:16am
Cobb Loaf 2x cream cheese, 3/4 sweet corn relish, handful ham, handful sliced spring onions, squeeze of mayo, shake of garlic salt. MIX the above, scoop the insides out of a cobb loaf (or similar bread). Fill with the mixture, wrap in tin foil and bake at 180 for about 50 mins. Serve with the bread, snax/rice crackers and/or celery and carrot sticks.
OR THIS...
hot spinach and cream cheese dip in a hollow bread
1 carton cream cheese, 1 cup mayonaise, 1 cup grated tasty cheese, 1 chopped onion, few fresh spinach leaves chopped finely, salt and pepper - I mix it together in a pot over a low heat tll combined, Hollow out loaf (cut top off first to make a lid). Fill with cheese mix, put lid on top and wrap in foil. Cook for about 1 - 1 1/2 hrs! Stir once or twice through cooking. You can use crackers/chips to dip or bake insides of bread in oven for a bout 10 mins
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:16am
Cocktail Meatballs 1 pound lean ground beef 1 egg 2 tablespoons water 1/2 cup bread crumbs 3 tablespoons minced onion 1 (8 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce (optional) 3/4 cup chili sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and minced onion. Roll into small meatballs. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once. In a slow cooker or large saucepan over low heat, blend the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and pour over meatballs .
can be eaten cold
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:18am
Grasshopper Pie
Preparation time: 40 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Serves: 8
Don't let the name fool you, this is one delicious pie. Ingredients
* Melted butter, for greasing * 250g packet plain chocolate-flavoured biscuits * 1/2 cup desiccated coconut * 180g unsalted butter, melted, cooled * 1 cup milk * 1/2 bunch mint * few drops peppermint essence * 3 egg yolks * 1/2 cup caster sugar * 1 tsp cornflour * 1/4 cup cold water * 1 Tbsp gelatine * 1/4 cup crème de menthe * 300ml thickened cream * Extra cream, to serve (optional)
Method
1. Brush a 20cm round springform tin with melted butter and line the base with baking paper. Process biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs form, then transfer to a large bowl. Add coconut and butter and stir until well combined. Spoon biscuit mixture into prepared tin. Use a straight-sided sturdy glass to press biscuit mixture evenly up the sides and across the base of tin. Put biscuit-lined tin in freezer for 10 minutes.
2. Combine milk and mint in a medium heavy-based pan and put over a low heat for 3-4 minutes or until small bubbles form around the edge. Remove pan from heat and stand to cool. Strain milk through a fine sieve and discard mint. Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Slowly add mint-infused milk to egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return custard to pan and stir, constantly, on a medium heat until it thickens. Remove from heat and cover top of custard with plastic wrap, to prevent a skin forming.
3. Pour water into a jug, sprinkle with gelatine and whisk with a fork to combine. Stand gelatine for 5 minutes, to allow it to soften and swell. Microwave gelatine mixture on HIGH/100% for
30-40 seconds or until gelatine has dissolved. Allow to cool slightly. Add gelatine mixture and crème de menthe to custard. Stir until well combined.
4. Pour custard into a large mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture is cold and starts to thicken, but not set. Using an electric hand beater, beat cream until soft
peaks form. Add cream to cold custard and fold in using a large metal spoon. Spoon custard mixture into prepared biscuit shell and refrigerate pie for 2-3 hours to set. Serve Grasshopper pie with extra cream, if desired.
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:20am
Lemon Lime AppleGinger Cheesecake
1 Lemon Jelly 1 Lime Jelly 1 can Diced Apples 125 gm chopped crystalised ginger 1 pkt Malt Biscuits 1 Pkt Arnotts Shortbread Biscuits 125 gm margerine 1 pkt Philadelhia Cream Cheese 1 tin sweetened condensed milk Make up jellies with 1 1/2 cups water Crush biscuits and add butter. Press into springform tin(spray and line with gladwrap). Into blender put jelly, cream cheese, cooled jellies. Pour 1/2 blender mixture over base and add tin apples, chopped ginger and then add rest of misture. Decorate with cream, flake bar and strawberries. The sweetened condensed milk goes into the blender with the cream cheese and jellies.
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:20am
Mango and white chocolate cheesecake
Ingredients
* 250g sweet plain biscuits, crushed * 90g butter, melted * 250g Philadelphia cream cheese, soften * ¼ cup caster sugar * 150g white chocolate, melted * ½ cup thickened cream * 1 cup mango, chopped roughly * 2tsp gelatine * ¼ cup hot water * 100g white chocolate, shaved * Mango slices * Whipped cream
* Serving size: Serves 8 * Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes
Method
In a bowl combine crushed biscuits and melted butter. Press into a 23cm pie dish to form a base crust, chill.
Stir cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add sugar and mix well. Add melted white chocolate and stir quickly. Stir in cream till smooth. Fold in chopped mango pieces. Lastly add the gelatine to the hot water, mix until all dissolved and add to cheesecake mixture, stirring gently.
Pour into prepared biscuit crust to fill, chill for 2-3 hours. Serve or decorate with piped whipped cream, mango slices and shaved chocolate.
Raspberry coulis 4tbs caster sugar 100mls water 1 punnet raspberries or box of frozen thawedor boysenberries 1 cup pouring cream ¼ cup icing sugar
Fruit ½ punnet strawberries, hulled, quartered Blueberries 1 pomegranate, seeded (optional) 1 banana, thinly sliced
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 140°C
2. For the meringues, place the egg whites into a clean, dry bowl, using a hand beater whisk the egg whites until peaks form. Gradually add the sugar continuing to whisk constantly until stiff peaks form. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spoon the meringue mixture onto the tray and place try in the oven, reduce temperature to 90°C to bake for 10-15 minutes or until cooked. Set aside to cool.
3. For the coulis, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved then allow to boil and reduce to a syrup. Place the berries in another small saucepan over a low heat, crush lightly then pour over the sugar syrup, cook for a few minutes then strain through a sieve and pour into a small jug.
4. Combine the cream and the icing sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.
5. Stack the meringues between layers of cream and berries, top with banana and pour over some berry coulis to serve.
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:22am
Rice Stuffed Silverbeet Leaves
Ingredients: Big bunch of silverbeet (preferably about 12 leaves) 1 onion, finely chopped 2 heaped Tbls of peanut butter ¼ tsp cumin seeds 1 cup rice 1 can chopped tomatoes 1 Tbls dried oregano ½ cup grated cheese (optional) 2 Tbls oil Salt and pepper Method: Lightly fry the onion and cumin seeds in oil, add the rice, fry briefly then add 2 ½ cups water and ½ a tsp salt. Bring to the boil, turn down to a low simmer, cover and cook for 12 mins, then turn off and leave the pan tightly covered for a further 12 mins. Add the peanut butter to the rice, stir to combine. Add the cheese to the rice and peanut butter mixture, stir to combine. Trim the silverbeet leaves from the bunch and run the edge of a wooden spoon along the spines of the silverbeet, pressing firmly to crush the spines. This makes the leaves much easier to roll up. Divide the rice mixture between the 12 leaves and roll them up. Place the rolled up leaves into a shallow baking dish. Blend the can of tomatoes with the oregano, ¼ tsp salt and a cup of water and tip over the leaves. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 170°C for an hour.
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:23am
Spinach Pikelets
500g spinach – cook, squeeze dry, puree 1 c flour ½ tsp salt pepper nutmeg 2 eggs 1 c milk (optional – 3 rashers bacon fried & chopped)
Chill batter. Make 4cm pikelets or large crepes and cut up. .
Serve with smoked salmon, rare beef, smoked fish, mayo as appropriate.
I serve with cream cheese and red capsicum, or cream cheese and olives.
courtesy of a message boarder xxx
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:25am
Thai Chicken Balls Makes about 50 walnut sized balls. 1 kg chicken mince;80g fresh breadcrumbs;4 spring onions, sliced;1 tbsp ground coriander;50g chopped, fresh coriander;60ml sweet chilli sauce;1-2 tbsp lemon juice;oil for shallow frying. Mix the mince, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Add the spring onions, ground & fresh coriander;chilli sauce & lemon juice, to taste, mix well. With wet hands, form into evenly shaped walnut-sized balls. Preheat oven to 200c. Heat about 3cm oil in deep frying pan to 180c, or until a cube of bread browns in 15 seconds. Shallow fry the balls in batched over high heat until golden. Bake on baking tray for 5 mins or until cooked through.
theanimal1,
Feb 27, 3:25am
Tiramisu Recipe
Tiramisu is probably my favourite dessert, and it's ridiculously easy to make. Seriously. A nice way to posh it up is to bake sponge cake and use that instead of sponge fingers, and then make it really neatly in a round or square cake tin, then slice it up, but I like it this way. More rustic. :) Ingredients
* 4 eggs, separated * 250g mascarpone * 200g caster sugar * 1 tsp vanilla extract * 1 cup freshly brewed, extra strong coffee (or 1 cup worth of espresso), cooled * 2 tbsp liquer (I like using either Kahlua or Marsala) * enough sponge fingers to line the base of your dish in two layers * A small block of semi-sweet chocolate (about 1 oz should do)
This recipe made 10 ramekins worth, so it'll serve 10 as a really small dessert, or probably make 4-6 generous helpings. Combine the liquer into the espresso. Resist the urge to add more, since you really just want a hint of it - you don't want to get drunk on your dessert. Or maybe you do, in which case add the whole bottle. :
1. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and frothy. It should form ribbons when you pull the whisk through the mixture. Whisk in the mascarpone. 2. Use an electric mixer or standing mixer to whisk up the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold this into the egg yolk and mascarpone mixture. 3. Dip a sponge finger briefly (they fall apart if you soak them for too long) into the coffee and liquer mixture, then place it in the base of your dish. Repeat until the base is covered in one layer. 4. Spoon over the egg-and-cheese mix, using about half. Grate over some chocolate, then make another layer of sponge fingers, and another layer of egg-and-cheese. Grate the rest of the chocolate over, or dust with cocoa powder. 5. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or for up to one day, then serve! Easy peasy, just like I told you.
Note: If you want, you can use a smaller, higher-sided dish and make many layers. I chose to do simple two-layered ones in ramekins for easy serving.
bouff2,
Feb 27, 8:22am
Oh wow ! there are some great recipes there thankyou so much. I am going to print this lot out so when the next pot luck dinner comes up I won't waste half the day trying to decide what to make. I know it shouldn't be a competition and the idea of pot luck is so we can affordably spend time with friends but it is nice to make some effort and contribute something a little more than ordinary day-to-day fare. Now I will have confidence to put my dish on the table thanks to you ( I can't call you theanimal 1, unless you love animals seems an inappropriate name for someone who likes to cook ! )
midnightgirl,
Feb 27, 8:34am
Wow, fabulous yummy ideas theanimal1, excuse my ignorance but where do you buy the 250g mascarpone. What section is it in at the supermarket. Many thanks. . I will have to try making some of these!
maandpa2b,
Feb 27, 8:53am
Moroccan Chicken all laid out on a bed of salad and couscous... dates and oranges scattered about. It looks and tastes fantastic and is perfect hot, cold, cool... . etc
Midnight Girl... marscapone is in the cheese section, up top usually near the gouda, interesting cheeses and it should be about $4. 50 for 250g
macwood2,
Feb 27, 9:34am
Please maandapa2b will you post the Moroccan Chicken please. Animal - love your postings.
bouff2,
Feb 27, 9:50am
Yes please maandpa2b the Moroccan chicken sounds yummy !
510,
Feb 27, 4:53pm
animal, those recipes look great, I love the look of that brazilian banana cream cake . You are always so kind with your postings, love your recipes & ideas, many thanks for what you contribute on these threads.
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